My herb garden is coming in prolifically! So much so that I decided to make some seasoned oil and vinegar. These are basically oils and vinegars that are flavored with herbs, spices and/or other aromatics. They have many uses, far beyond the obvious salad dressings. They can be drizzled over vegetables, brushed on meat and added to soups and casseroles. Any place that you would like a punch of flavor, you can use seasoned oil or seasoned vinegar. I make fresh pack seasoned oil and vinegar, meaning that it is made cold, without heating the oil or vinegar. This means that they must always be kept in the refrigerator to prevent spoilage.​

​Seasoned Oil

The oil I chose was extra virgin olive oil because it retains a stronger olive taste which I think would blend well with seasonings. If you want less olive flavor you could use pure olive oil, which is a blend of extra virgin and regular olive oil. Any good quality oil can be used, if cost is a consideration you can mix extra virgin with soybean, grapeseed or safflower oil which will reduce the cost without ruining the flavor.

I am going to use fresh herbs, but you can use dried, just reduce the amount by half. Wash your fresh herbs and pat them dry and let them air dry the rest of the way. It is important they be completely dry, as any water on them can introduce bacteria into the oil/herb mixture, spoiling it.

'The type of bottle that you use is also important. It should have a seal and not be open to the air. You can use canning jars, or even food jars. (think mayo jar) It is better not to use plastic, because you cannot keep an eye on the oil to check for problems.

I bought the jar you see on the right. I chose it for two reasons. The first being I loved the look, it's tall and can support long stems of herbs that look beautiful. I also liked the fact that it has a spout on top, which makes it easy and less messy to use. Just pop off the lid and drizzle!

Thoroughly wash your jar and lid is extremely hot water or run through the dishwasher. Set aside to cool. Take your herbs and bruise the leaves. I use a spoon bottom, but you can use any hard surface. Just press hard enough to break the surface, not enough to tear, and drop them in the jar. If you are adding spices, such as peppercorns, you can drop them in straight from their container, or if you want a slightly more powerful taste, you can toast them on a cookie sheet at 300 degrees for 15 minutes and then let them cool before placing them in your jar. After you have all your aromatics in the jar, just pour the oil in, leaving at least a half inch at the top, and cap.

Place the jar in the refrigerator for ten days to two weeks, shaking every few days. When shaking, the jar should be checked for cloudiness or problems with the herbs. The oil should stay perfectly clear and the herbs should keep their color with only a slight darkening. If you see anything suspicious, or the color of the oil changes, the oil should be discarded.

The oil should be tasted at 10 days to see how well the herb flavors are infusing. If you like the way it tastes, then strain the oil and discard the herbs to keep the flavor static. The longer the herbs stay in the oil, the stronger will be the taste. I would not recommend the herbs be left in the oil indefinitely, as the flavor may become too strong or bitter. After straining your seasoned oil, place it in the refrigerator. It should keep for at least one to two months. If you are afraid of spoilage, you can heat the oil and herbs on the stove, just prior to boiling, before straining. However, doing this could change the taste or consistency of the oil.​

Seasoned Vinegar

Making seasoned vinegar is done much the same way as making seasoned oil. The most important thing to remember when making anything using vinegar is to not use anything metal. Your utensils and especially your jar lids or stoppers cannot be metal, as vinegar is corrosive to metal. You can use a mason jar, as the lid insert has a plastic covering and rubber ring in the only place that the vinegar will touch.Any other jars should have a rubber stopper.

In choosing a vinegar to use, pretty much anything goes as long as it has at least 5% acidity. I decided to use red wine vinegar because I like the flavor, but you can also use apple cider, or white vinegar.

I have never used anything but fresh herbs to make seasoned vinegar. I have heard that if you use ground or dried herbs that it makes the vinegar cloudy, and creates chewy bits when poured over food. If you plan to use dried herbs, you may want to strain it through cheese cloth after letting it steep for a week the let the herb flavors infuse into the vinegar.

When using fresh herbs, wash them thoroughly and pat dry. Wash your jar, add the herbs and spices and pour in the vinegar. Cap tightly and set in the refrigerator for a couple days. It should be able to to be used after a couple of days. As you use it, replace the vinegar so that the herbs are always covered. It is important they are always covered with the vinegar so they do not spoil. The longer the herbs sit in the vinegar, the stronger the flavor will be. Remember, this vinegar is not "canned" so it must always be kept in the refrigerator.

If the vinegar is made with herbs and spices only, it will last about 6 months before you need to discard the herbs and start fresh. If you use fresh vegetables, like peppers, onions, or garlic, then the vinegar will not last as long. Keep an eye on the vegetables, if they start to get dark or disintegrate, then discard the vinegar and make fresh. I usually make fresh after 3 or 4 weeks as long as the vegetables look good.

​I remember growing up my Mom making seasoned vinegar to pour on her greens. Mustard greens, poke, collard greens, if it was greens, my Mom poured seasoned vinegar on it. I remember the adorable little glass pitcher with a stopper that she used to make that vinegar.

She would pick little immature peppers, both hot and sweet and chop up onions and slip them into this little pitcher (I later learned it was called a cruet) and pour in white vinegar. She kept in in the door of the refrigerator. I never liked the taste of the contents as a kid, but that little glass cruet will always evoke fond memories.

​You can use any herb you like for either oil or vinegar seasoning. My favored combination of herbs is rosemary, basil and oregano. It gives oil a delicious flavor, especially on pasta or in pesto.

When flavoring with fresh vegetables, I tend to only put them in vinegar, I feel they do better there. My favorite recipe for what I call "Veggie Vinegar" is:

I am sorry I don't have more precise measurements, but it is something you have to experiment with to get the flavor the way you like it. This is how I make it when I use a pint mason jar.

​​Seasoned vinegar or oil is great as a marinade on both pork and beef, I brush it over beef roasts and pork tenderloins. It's also delicious drizzled over vegetables to give them extra flavor and awesome on french fries too! Make some for yourself and I bet you will find even more uses for it.

Lovely! I hearted this post for We Heart It. It's now added it to my food collection.

Reply

Rex Trulove

8/29/2017 01:14:14 pm

Interesting that I was just discussing this yesterday, though for a different reason. Someone wanted to try using vinegar as a shampoo but didn't like the vinegary smell. My solution was to simply steep lavender in the vinegar for a few days. That gives it a lavender aroma.